Freddie Finds Forest School

Monday, 5 October 2015

This
blog will focus on developing a forest school and all the elements needed to create
one, the history behind forest school and the movement it has taken over the
years. The developmental impact it has upon children when considering the
benefits to them, the risks and challenges faced and the holistic impact for
children as individuals will also be discussed, the legislative requirements
focusing on government initiatives and whether forest schools are considered in
any official documents, the skills required by practitioners to develop a forest
school and confidently deliver sessions to children and the perspectives both
internationally and within the UK. As much as the writers behind the blog work
within Early Years settings, a forest school can be created for children of all
ages and abilities, it is fully inclusive and can be available to all. We know
that “Children playing outdoors is not a
new concept” (Pace, 2014) but our personal views recognise the need for
change and the desire for the outdoor environment to be shared with all and
remembered by all. Our experiences of the outdoors has shaped us as
practitioners and now it’s time to share our passion for the outdoors and the
benefits of forest school with everyone, both professionally and personally.

Throughout the next two weeks there will be daily blog
posts exploring individual aspects of a forest school and the forest school
movement as well as considering the correlation between forest schools and
outdoor learning environments for children. Each post has been individually
research with much enthusiasm and the passion oozes within each post. Following
on from the academically written posts are child centred story based on Freddie
the teddy. Each day there will be an entry on Freddie’s Journey which will have
elements of the blog post throughout to be inclusive for all who explore the
amazement which lies ahead for the blog.
Freddie’s Journey is an exciting and fun way to explore forest schools
and enables it to be explored within a creative writing style allowing it to be
pieced together as a story which should be accessible for children.

(Activity Village, 2015)

Though
the concept of outdoor learning has been with us for millions of years, the
movement of Forest School can be clearly traced through the works of Comenius
(1658) where language was taught through depictions of nature, to that of
Rousseau (1712-1778). Rousseau influenced parents of the time to take more
notice of what was offered by nature and it’s key role in education. Following
this came Pestalozzi (1746-1827), whose theory became infamous for its child
centred approach, this was strongly supported by Montessori (1870-1952) and is
evident in her work. Frobel (1782-1852)
continued Pestalozzi’s theory and went on to open the first “kindergarten”,
outside, in 1840. It was in 1952 that Ella Flatau opened what could be
conceived as the first Forest School, she called it a ‘wandering kindergarten’
and it was from this that other such establishments began to form. Forest
School came to the United Kingdom in 1993 when a team from Bridgwater College
in Somerset went on tour of Denmark. After developing this concept and adapting
it to the UK, they began to share their knowledge in 2000 and this has led to
the current educational term of Forest School.

Exploration
of the benefits of attending a forest school and having outdoor play, including
the impact this can have on children’s learning, play and development is
essential when delving into Forest Schools. Both forest schools and outdoor
leaning environments have many valuable benefits for children, during the
research it has been found that children can thrive more in an outdoor
environment and, given the choice, this is where they would mostly choose to
play and explore. Children’s play and
learning is holistic by nature as the two work in tandem with each other, but
for the purpose of the blog it has been divided into three sections, the
overall benefits to children, the impact on their learning and development and
the impact of on their individual play.

“Forest school provides a nurturing base that is appropriate at all ages.” (Knight, 2011:242).

All
children can enjoy forest school learning at any age from babies in harnesses
to children more able, with the guiding hand of a capable practitioner.

When considering the benefits forest schools and outdoor
learning has on children’s development there must be due care and attention
made when regarding the risks and challenges which children, practitioners and
parents face. This links with closely exploring parents and practitioner risk
aversion, and how to encourage risk taking, while ensuring all risk assessment
is met accordingly to ensure the environment is safely managed.

“In
short, risk perception, or the ability to discern risk, is tied to risk
tolerance, or an individual’s capacity to accept a certain amount of risk.
Research suggests that programs to discourage risk-taking behaviour need to
address both of these concepts” (The
Campbell Institute, 2014:2)

Knowing
that children of all ages can access the benefits to them a forest school
provides, there needs to be considerations of the skills desired for a teacher
of the outdoors, it is vital to be able to look at an environment and recognise
the potential it holds. Children identify many affordances in their
surroundings and by recognising these as a practitioner, you can provide
effective learning opportunities through the use of fun activities and
children’s interests. Each child is individual and unique, therefore their
ideas will vary and they must be embraced by the practitioner in order for them
to feel competent and confident to express themselves in the outdoors.

Following
on from this, forest schools have become more current and are being implemented
more often in many different settings. Practitioners understanding of forest
school will be discussed as well as looking at where forest school was first
established and how it is practised today. Some of the issues with land space in
the environment as well as technology will be discussed with regards to the
future of forest school, as stated by Tim Gill (2004) “For the first time in 4 million years of human history, we are
effectively trapping children indoors” and as advocates for exploring the
outdoors and the benefits in which this has on children it is imperative that
we change this current trend and support what we know has benefited, not just
children, but everyone for years.

After
considering the benefits and the history the outdoor environment has to offer
children and the potential of forest schools it is vital that the regulatory
requirements are consider and whether there are any or if forest schools stands
on its own. Knowing that children aged between zero and five years need to be
physically active for at least three hours a day (National Health Service,
2015) and that there is an increase in weight gain and medical conditions due
to poor and unhealthy diets children receive (Change4Life, 2015) it is vital
that the outdoors is underpinned within government policies and regulated to
ensure that the need for physical activities and weight gain coincide in order
to change children of the future for the better.

Knowing
the vital importance the outdoors has to offer and the benefits we know it has
on children, consideration must be made for the perspectives held both in the
UK and internationally. Forest Schools have developed and expanded over recent years. It will
look into the importance of Forest Schools and why there may be need for them
in the UK. Furthermore the blog will contemplate how each Forest School differ
from one to another. Furthermore, the blog will look into how Forest Schools
are or not provided in other countries outside the UK. The writer will look into
theoretical perspectives and how they link to Forest Schools and outdoor
learning. Also how Forest Schools in other countries compare to the ones being
provided in the UK will be analysed. (http://mapshop.com/wall/world/mapshops-world-map.html)

“Must we always teach our children with books?
Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the
beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin
to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education” (Polis, 2003)